Here comes the motherf*cking bride!
read more
A visceral and aesthetically sound piece of cinema from writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Bride! is a plucky gothic romance inspired by the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein (which in itself was based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein). The film stars Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale alongside Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz.
Set in the 1930s, the film begins with a lonely Frankenstein's monster (Bale) who approaches one Dr. Euphronius (Bening) for help to make him a mate. Initially hesitant, she eventually caves and thus, our “bride” is born from the fallen body of Ida (Buckley), who met an untimely death following a schizophrenic-esque episode where she was possessed by Mary Shelley herself.
What follows is a wild love story for “Frank” and his manic Bride as they navigate the living world while leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. They are monsters after all. It’s all very Bonnie & Clyde or Joker & Harley Quinn except the female counterpart takes charge here (female empowerment and all that.)
It’s great to see Bale back on the big screen, though one can’t help but feel him a tad underused here as he's almost lost all the noise. He plays a more subdued role, borne from loneliness with a touch more humanity than his freshly reinvigorated Bride. The best positive outcome of that is allowing Buckley, who’s currently the running favourite to win her first Oscar this year, navigate each scene with a monster appetite and fire in her eyes. She delivers an outstanding and captivating performance that never falters whenever she’s on screen, whether she’s on a crazy rampage as the possessed Bride or the unhinged achromatic Mary.
The Bride! is an extremely performative film that echoes the art of the stage in its frames with every dance and monologue. With it, a sense of control in the chaos we see that evokes a powerful synergy with Gyllenhaal’s efforts in painting a picture so vivid of a sad, beautiful, tragic love affair.
Never was there a tale so fine as that of the Bride and her Frankenstein. To life!
read less